This invention relates to elevator systems and, more particularly, to an elevator system in which the governor is located underneath the controller, and both are positioned in the hoistway at the top floor level.
Known elevator systems typically confine all elevator components to the hoistway or the machine room. The hoistway is an elongated, vertical shaft having a rectangular base in which the elevator car translates. The hoistway houses, among other things, the car guide rails which are usually a pair of generally parallel rails, fixed to opposite walls near the center of each wall, and running the approximate length of the hoistway. A counterweight having a pair of guide rails is positioned adjacent to a third wall. The hoistway houses additional components including terminal landing switches, ropes and sheave arrangements, and buffers for the counterweight and the car.
It is essential that the elevator components are located and oriented with precision prior to and during operation. The interior walls of the hoistway must be properly dimensioned and aligned, and the physical interface between the hoistway walls and the elevator components must be capable of withstanding varying load during use. It is particularly essential that the guide rails on which the car rides are properly positioned and solidly maintained. For quality of ride and safety, the guide rails need to be precisely plumb, square and spaced to avoid car sway, vibration and knocking. Guide rails are typically steel, T-shaped sections in sixteen foot lengths. The position of guide rails within the hoistway affects the position of the hoisting machine, governor and overhead (machine room) equipment. The machine room is typically located directly above the hoistway. The machine room houses the hoist machine and governor, the car controller, a positioning device, a motor generator set, and a service disconnect switch.
In certain elevator systems that do not have a machine room, various components are located in the hoistway. It is difficult to locate the governor in a position that is safe and space efficient, since the governor and safety roping arrangement must be free from interference or potential damage.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an elevator system in which a conventional machine room is eliminated and the controller and governor are located in positions in which interference with the governor and safety system""s roping is avoided.
This object and inherent advantages of the present invention are described herein.
The present invention is directed to an elevator system generally comprising a hoistway, and elevator car, a counterweight, respective guide rails for guiding the vertical movement of each of the elevator car and the counterweight, a machine and associated drive system, a controller and a governor. The machine and controller are located in the hoistway. Instead of locating the governor above the car, as in conventional systems, the governor is located below the controller, and above the elevator car safety linkage. The controller is positioned at the top floor level.
The controller may be positioned between elevator car and a side wall of the hoistway, and between the guide rails and the front wall of the hoistway. To avoid interference with the governor and safety system roping arrangement, the governor is positioned beneath the controller but at floor level of the top floor.